Stage lift apparatus for wells



April 6, 1954 K. KELLr-:Y ET AL 2,574,202

STAGE LIFT APPARATUS FOR WELLS Filed May l2, 1952 Patented Apr. 6, 1,954

S S PAT ENT O 2,674,202

errada-LIFT APPARATUS Foa WELLS. Kol-enemy and Alleine Kelley, venice, Calif.

Applicatiommaynz; 1952, serial No. 287,386

(el. 10e-260)" This invention; relates' to. well.` equipment..l and. more. particularlyy tog a-.purnpl-and, a. pump system. for liftinguidsfrom welle.

J eter. Venturi typepumps, insofar. as is.known. to. us, are. usedtolift well fluids.y onlyA from! sha1-- low wells whose depths donut.. exceed twoor three hundred-feet.- since their eiectivenessf is limited byA the turbulencev createdi by the.4 restrictionsy plaeedi in th'e.-passage or throatl of thepumpto` increase: at; a= particular point inthe passage the: velocity of: the.- power. fluid passing through thev pump; Moreover, aplurality` of; such conven-vtional jetl or Venturi pumps; cannot. be employedy eiciently iniseriesto.- lift well. or production fluid` from great depthssinceeachofthepumps would have. to.v have a pump:- of; such cross-sectionalarea asto allow'A fluid, discharged. from lower pumps-A infthe'systemftopass upward without causing'back pressureto beset? upg-which wouldV slow down. the velocity' of the fluid passingl through the lower pumps. and-- thus;` destroy the Venturi eectinthe lowery pumps; It isdesirable. therefore, to vprovide a jet, pump inv which the turbulence; isA held to:v a. minimum.. It.. is.l also desirable to, providey aiet pump, aplurality of which can beconnectedT in,-.seriesc in` a production--- string to'lift well iiuidV fromgreat depths..

Accordingly, itz-is.` an'. objectof the inventionto provide a new andimproved pump.-l

It isanother obectof theinvention-.toprovide a new and.` improved pump of the jet type.v

It is still' another object ofthe invention to provide a new and improved pump of the jet` type for lifting well fluids'.

It'is a further object oi. the" invention to'provi'de a newV and improvedipumpfofthe jet type in which'y the turbulence'of' thef'uid's is reduced-to a minimum;

Itis:` a still further obj'ectof the invention to' provide a new an'd'improvedl pump: system for lifting fluids from wells.

It is; a. still urther'obiecir ofi the invention to prov-ideanevn'andaimpnovedzpumpisystem employ ing? ai' plurality or. pumps` connected: in: series; for` liftingfnuids fromwellsz..

For' a; better understanding of: the. invention, reference may be; had; to.. thefollowing: description. taken connection: with the accompanying.' drawing-rl and its. scope: wills' bezpointed. out:` the' appenderkclaims;

drawing;

Figure 1'. is'Y a vertical sectional viewof ya well'Y showing the pump.1 system of.' the: invention in: place forflfting nui-dst from the well to the sur-- face;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional?y view offene artnet-pumps ofthe pump-system shown in, Mgureelg. 'f

Figure.- 3i. i'sA af. sectional views talt'enf on the line:-

fiilev the pumps.

Figure et is aK fragmentary viewof a portionA of the-pumpfshown in. Figuresz. andL 3, with somepartsbroken away.

Referring now to the draw-ing, the reference character Ill7 designates. a well having the usuall casing I^I1 extending:` from'the surface to.l the-.well iiuid, producingv formation.: I-2. AV tubing string I3,` shown'. as a single tubing-f but which is, ordi.- narily composed. of a plurality of,y sections,. extends from thev surfacefto the-bottom ofv the Well and. isr providedA at its lower.. end, with a strainer I4". A seatingy shoe or sealing device I'5 is. secured,` ini the tubular.A stringv adjacent its lower end.y to seali between. the tubing string and the frustoconical surface orV shoulder IS.- ofthe-lowermost pump of' a. series of: pumpsl I1 connected in. series in a production string Ithrough whichwell fluid is pumped from the bottom. ofr the well to the surface. The pumps I1 are connected betweenadjacent sections I-9fof". the production string I8.

Power fluid.v is` pumped from` the surface down between-the tubing, stringv I3 andv the7 production x string I8` and: enters, into thev pumps I1 through thei port. holes 2.0:' in the tubular jacketsv 2-I.v of Thev power fluid is.v prevented'. from passingv inta the4 well; by' they seating. shoe: I5' whichi forms a uidtight sealbetween the lowermost pump I1 and theftubing string I3; The power fluid! is. under' relatively high pressure andY flows. with relatively high velocity through the pumps: I1 thereby drawing; well". iiuid through the' strainer I 4; andl up through theY production string I3.

The tubular jacket,y ZIv `oi'each'.y of; the. pumps t1 is.' internally threaded atboth. ot its. ends. The externally threaded'. lower end ofa. section I9v of the production string is; engaged inI the upper threaded end of the tubular.v jacket. while thev lowerthread'ed endl of. the,A jacket receives' the eX'- ternally' threaded reducedi section 22. of a. mandrel..23'l, thev lower end. of the: jacket abutting the annular' shoulder 24V of the mandrel.. The. lower end 25 of" the mandrel: is internallythreaded to receive the upper externally threaded endt of a. .f lower-i section I8 of the production stringi.

Ani outer: sleeve 261,. which. maybe integral with the. mandrel, extends upwardly'from the: mandrel pastA the internal' shoulder 21: ofthe jacket 2 I. and' into the reduced portionv 28' of the central bore of the. jacket'.

The outer' sleeve'. 261 is provided with a pair of' darneti'cally'- opposedl lateral@ h'oles 29' throughv which power fluid may pass intoatransverse conduit 30* whose opposite end'sy are secured to the outer" sleeve 216 by welding or in any other suitable manner. A jet sleeve 3"-Ir extends up*-y wardly from'- tlie transverse conduitr into an inner sleeve' 32.!"wlfliel'17 i's held'- i'rr position and' is secured tol the cuter sleeve 26 by webs 33'. Itl will benoted'that they upper' end? of the jet sleeve :il| is disposed intermediate the ends of the inner sleeve 32 and that the upper end of the inner sleeve is disposed below the upper end of the outer sleeve. It will also be noted that the jacket and the sleeves are disposed concentrically with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the jacket and that each sleeve is spaced from the other sleeves so that fluids may pass through the cylindrical passages between the sleeves and between the outer sleeve and the jacket.

The mandrel 23 is provided with an inner annular ilange 34 which serves as a seat for a ball check valve 35.

The operation of each pump il will now be explained. The power fluid pumped from the surface down between the tubing string i3 and the production string enters into the tubular jacket 2| through the port holes 20 and passes through the lateral holes 29 in the outer sleeve 2G into the transverse conduit 30. From the transverse conduit, the power liquid ows upwardly through the jet sleeve and into the inner sleeve 32. The power fluid jetting from the jet sleeve creates a pressure differential with the inner sleeve between the upper and lower portions thereof which tends to move iiuid upwardly in the cylindrical space between the jet and inner sleeve from the lower portion of the outer sleeve 26. This pressure differential also tends to move the ball check valve upwardly as the well fluid is moved upwardly by the pressure diiferential so that well fluid is allowed to move upwardly from a lower section I9 of the production string i3 through the mandrel 23 and into the outer sleeve 26.

A mixture of power iiuid and well iiuid is thus caused to flow upwardly from the upper end of the inner sleeve 32. This flow of the mixture tends to set up a pressure dierential within the outer sleeve 2B between its ends which also tends to cause well fluid to flow upwardly in the cylindrical space between the outer and inner sleeves.

Power iiuid also iiows upwardly in the pump jacket 2| in the cylindrical space between the outer sleeve 2E and the jacket. This upward iiow of the power iluid also tends to create a pressure differential in the outer sleeve 26 between its upper and lower end which also tends to move well fluid upwardly through the outer sleeve. It will now be seen that in each pump il, a central rod-shaped stream of power fluid jets upwardly from the jet sleeve 3| and an outer cylindrical stream of power fluid which is concentric with the central rod-shaped stream jets upwardly from the cylindrical space between the outer sleeve 26 and the jacket, both streams tending to create pressure differentials which move iiuid from the lower end of the outer sleeve upwardly to the upper section lil connected to the upper end of the jacket.

A very important function of the cylindrical stream of power iiuid is to reduce the turbulence which would otherwise occur above the upper end of the outer sleeve 26 if only the central rodshaped stream of power fluid were present. In effect, the well fluid is carried between two up wardly moving streams which prevent the extreme turbulence found in conventional jet or Venturi pumps.

The inner sleeve 32 also tends to decrease or minimive turbulence since the upper end of the jet sleeve is disposed intermediate its ends, the portion of the inner sleeve above the jet sleeve serving as a guide to direct upwardly the flow of themixture of power and well fluids. The use of the inner sleeve also minimizes'the obstructions 4 the pump to upward flow of :duid since if the inner sleeve were not present, the jet sleeve would have to be of greater diameter so that cylindrical space between the jet sleeve and the outer sleeve would not be so great that the central rod-shaped stream jetting upwardly 4from the jet sleeve would not create a suiiicient pressure differential between the upper and lower ends of the outer sleeve. The use of the inner sleeve permits the use of a jet sleeve of relatively small diameter and the combined obstruction of the outer sleeve caused by both the jet sleeve and the inner sleeve is not as great as would be the obstruction of a jet sleeve of the necessarily greater diameter needed if the inner sleeve were not provided.

Each of the pumps I1 functions in the above described manner except that only the lowermost pump draws pure well iluid through its mandrel 23, since each upper pump draws a mixture of power and well uids delivered to its mandrel 23, the mixture acquiring an increasingly greater proportion of power iiuid as it moves upwardly through each pump The pump system employs a plurality of the pumps Il', spaced as desired along the production string, to lift the well fluid from even extremely deep wells to the surface. The pumps l1 being connected in series in the production string, the pump system functions to lift the well fluids in stages to the surface. The ball check valves 35 prevent downward flow of fluid in the production string.

It will be seen now that a new and improved pump has been provided which employs a central rod-shaped stream and a cylindrical stream of power fluid formed by a jet sleeve 3|, an outer sleeve 25 and a tubular jacket 2| to create a pressure diierential to move fluid through the outer sleeve. Moreover, it will be seen that an inner sleeve 32 has been provided between the jet sleeve and the outer sleeve whichminimizes the turbulence in the fluids flowing through the pump and which also permits the use of a jet sleeve 3| of relatively small diameter. Furthermore, it will be seen that a single tubular string i3 may be employed to deliver power fluid simultaneously to a plurality of the pumps connected in series in a production string I8 disposed in the tubular string I3.

It will be apparent that many changes and modifications can be made in the described and illustrated pump and pump system without departing from the invention and it is intended, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the-invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A pump comprising a tubular jacket having a central bore and a lateral aperture for admitting power fluid into said central bore; a iirst sleeve:

having a central bore disposed Ain said tubular jacket means between said first sleeve and said jacket below said lateral aperture for preventing downward flow of power fluid therebetween; a jet sleeve extending into said first sleeve, said sleeves and said jacket being 'concentricallyf central bore of saidA jacketthrough` said apenture may flow into and upwardly through said' 1 jet sleeveand upwardly between saidljacket and said first sleeve to produce arod-,shapedfstream and a cylindrical-shaped stream for creating a pressure differential in the central bore of said first sleeve.

2. A pump comprising a tubular jacket having a central bore and lateral ports for admitting power uid into said central bore; a first sleeve having a central bore disposed in said tubular jacket; a second sleeve disposed in said rst sleeve; a jet sleeve extending into said second sleeve, said sleeves and said jacket being concentrically aligned means between said first sleeve and said jacket below said lateral ports for preventing downward flow of power fluid therebetween; means communicating with the jet sleeve and said central bore for admitting power fluid from said central bore of said jacket to the lower end of said jet sleeve, said sleeves being spaced from said jacket and from one another whereby power uid flowing into said central bore of said jacket may flow into and upwardly through said jet sleeve and upwardly between said jacket and said first sleeve to produce a rod-shaped stream and a cylindrical-shaped stream for creating a pressure diierential in the central bore of said first sleeve.

3. A pump comprising a tubular jacket having a first portion providing a large central bore and a second portion providing a small central bore; a lateral aperture in said first portion for admitting power fluid into said large central bore; a first sleeve in said tubular jacket having a central bore and extending from said first portion into said second portion; means between said rst sleeve and said first portion below said lateral aperture to prevent downward flow of power uid between the first sleeve and the jacket; a jet sleeve disposed in said first sleeve, said sleeves and said jacket being concentrically aligned; means communicating with said jet sleeve and said large central bore for admitting power uid from said large central bore to the lower end of said jet sleeve, said sleeves being spaced from said jacket and from one another whereby power fluid flowing into said large central bore of said jacket may ow into and upwardly through said jet sleeve and upwardly between said jacket and said first sleeve to produce a rod-shaped stream and a cylindrical shaped stream for creating a pressure differential in the central bore of said rst sleeve.

4. A pump comprising a tubular jacket having a rst portion providing a large central bore and a second portion providing a small central bore; a lateral aperture in said first portion for admitting power uid into said large central bore; a rst sleeve in said tubular jacket having a central bo-re and extending from` said first portion into said second portion; means between said first sleeve and said rst portion below said aperture to prevent downward iiow of power iiuid between said first sleeve and said jacket; an inner sleeve disposed in said first sleeve; a jet sleeve extending into said inner sleeve, said sleeves and said jacket being concentrically aligned, the upper end of said inner sleeve being spaced vertically between the upper ends of said first sleeve and said jet sleeve; means communicating with said jet sleeve and said large central bore for admitting power fluid from said large central bore to said jet sleeve, said sleeves being spaced from said jacket and from one another whereby power fluid flowing into said large central bore of said jacket may flow into and upwardly through said jet sleeve and upwardly between said jacket and said first sleeve to produce a rod-shaped stream and a cylindrical shaped stream for creating a pressure differential in the central bore of said first sleeve.

5. A pump comprising a tubular jacket having a iirst portion providing a large central bore and a second portion providing a small central bore; a lateral aperture in said first portion for admitting power fluid into said large central bore; a iirst sleeve in said tubular jacket having a central bore and extending from said first portion into said second portion; means between said first sleeve and said rst portion and below said aperture to prevent downward flow of power fluid between said rst sleeve and said jacket; an inner sleeve disposed in said first sleeve; a jet sleeve extending into said inner sleeve and having its outlet end disposed intermediate the ends of said inner sleeve, said sleeves and said jacket being concentrically aligned; means communicating with said jet sleeve and said large central bore for admitting power fluid from said large central bore to said jet sleeve, said sleeves being spaced from said jacket and from one another whereby power fluid flowing into said large central bore of said jacket may flow into and upwardly through said jet sleeve and upwardly between said jacket and said first sleeve to produce a rod-shaped stream and a cylindrical shaped stream fiowing for creating a pressure differential in the central bore of said rst sleeve.

6. A pump comprising a tubular jacket having a first portion providing a large central bore and a second portion providing a small central bore; a lateral aperture in said first portion for admitting power fluid into said large central bore; a first sleeve in said tubular jacket having a central bore and extending from said first portion into said second portion; means between said lirst sleeve and said first portion to prevent downward flow of power fluid between said first sleeve and said jacket; an inner sleeve disposed in said first sleeve intermediate the ends thereof; a jet sleeve extending into said inner sleeve and having its outlet end disposed intermediate the ends of said inner sleeve, said sleeves and said jacket being concentrically aligned; means communicating with said jet sleeve and said large central bore for admitting power fluid from said central portion to said jet sleeve, said sleeves being spaced from said jacket and from one another whereby power uid flowing into said large central bore of said jacket may flow into and upwardly through said jet sleeve and upwardly between said jacket and said rst sleeve to produce a rodshaped stream and a cylindrical shaped stream for creating a pressure diierential in the central bore of said iirst sleeve.

References Cited in the file 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 425,624 ONeil Apr. 15, 1890 1,547,194 Arbon July 28, 1925 1,729,794 Newnham Oct. 1, 1929 1,763,030 Wolfe June 10, 1930 1,784,242 Melton Dec. 9, 1930 

